A Coat of Armor for Homes, Schools

In a clear sign of the times, a Nevada building materials maker has developed a plaster product that can reportedly protect homes and buildings from gunfire.

The interior protective coating, called BallistiCrete, has been tested against high-powered guns and rifles, including a 7.62 AK-47, .357 Magnum, .45 Magnum, Uzi automatic, and Desert Eagle .50 caliber, the manufacturer says.

GigaCrete.com

Manufacturer GigaCrete says the easy-to-apply coating can turn nearly any room into a protected "safe room."

“BallistiCrete can stop [bullet] penetration into the structure,” according to building material manufacturer GigaCrete, based in Las Vegas. The company recently demonstrated its product and testing for several local TV stations.

The mesh-impregnated, noncombustible coating forms a “strong bond” with many substrates, including foam, cement blocks, cement board, gypsum board (drywall) brick and stucco—with tensile bond strength exceeding the strength of the substrate in many cases, the company says.

It can be applied as a single coat from 5/8 of an inch or incrementally layered up to two inches thick, depending on application. A paint finish is recommended after complete curing has taken place in five days.